Lionel Messi wins Fifa World Player of the Year award (1 Viewer)

chester

Too busy to bother
May 20, 2006
15,055
#1
Barcelona star Lionel Messi has been named Fifa World Footballer of the Year to complete a stunning 2009 for the Argentine forward.

The 22-year-old, who helped Barca win the Club World Cup on Saturday - their sixth trophy of the year - also won the Ballon d'Or award this year.

"A magnificent year for me and Barca has ended in the best way," said Messi.

He beat off competition from last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo, Xavi, Kaka and Andres Iniesta.

In a vote by captains and head coaches of the men's and women's national teams, Messi won 1,073 votes, Ronaldo 352, Xavi 196, Kaka 190 and Iniesta 134.

Messi becomes the first Argentine to win the award, which was inaugurated in 1991, and it completes a stunning year for the brilliant winger.

He helped Barca to an unprecedented treble of Champions League, La Liga and Spanish Cup last season, scoring the second goal in their 2-0 win over Manchester United in Rome in May.

This season the Catalan club have added the Spanish Super Cup, European Super Cup and Club World Cup to their roll of honour, beating Argentine side Estudiantes in Abu Dhabi to complete a stellar year.

At the start of the month, Messi beat Ronaldo to the European Footballer of the Year award by a massive margin - 473 points to 233 - and has now succeeded Ronaldo to win the Fifa award too.

However, Messi has played down the attention, saying: "No, please, I am not king of the world now, nor the number one, I don't believe in those things.

"I am the same person as always and I have the good fortune to play in a great team. It was an historic year for Barca and for me but it's thanks to the work of everyone."

At a glittering gala at the Zurich Kongresshaus, England stars John Terry and Steven Gerrard were named in the FIFPro World XI, voted for by their fellow professionals.

Fellow Premier League stars Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidic and Fernando Torres were also picked, along with former Manchester United star Ronaldo.

Real Madrid's Iker Casillas was picked in goal and Barca quartet Dani Alves, Xavi, Iniesta and Messi completed the line-up.

Cristiano Ronaldo won the inaugural Fifa Puskas Award for the best goal of the year for his stunning 40-yard strike while playing for Manchester United against FC Porto in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in April.

Brazilian Marta won the Women's World Player of the Year for a record fourth consecutive time, beating off competition from England striker Kelly Smith.

The 31-year-old Smith, who plays her club football in the United States, starred in the England side that reached the final of Euro 2009.

"This is a real honour for me," said Smith. "It was tough for me to leave my home country because I'm very proud and passionate to be English.

"I just wanted to be amongst the best players in the world and that's certainly the case and I'm now pursuing my dream."
 

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chester

chester

Too busy to bother
May 20, 2006
15,055
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread Starter #3
    Indeed not, but he deserved it.
    Although I would have expected Iniesta and Xavi to be closer to him and I don't see what Kaka does in this list.
     

    Yamen

    Senior Member
    Apr 20, 2007
    11,809
    #7
    I hated snobby CR during the ceremony when he was announced best goal and he didn't bother greeting Mrs Puskas to receive the award. She did.

    Queen Rania of Jordan was also awarded the presedential FIFA award.
     

    Yamen

    Senior Member
    Apr 20, 2007
    11,809
    #8
    600 was the difference of total votes between Messi and CR. In France football award the difference was 250 votes or so..


    EDIT: I guess thats already mentioned in the article. Sorry.
     

    Omair

    Herticity
    Sep 27, 2006
    3,254
    #10
    hardly done anything to deserve it .. DP did way more to win it :D ..

    BTW: i seriously feel that the system is flawed.. I mean when was the last time the Ballone D'Or winner and FIFA world player of the year weren't the same person?

    2009 Messi
    2008 Ronaldo
    2007 Kaka
    2006 Cannavaro
    2005 Ronaldinho

    we have to go back until 2004 to find two different names (FIFA Ronaldinho and Ballon D'Or Shevechenko) makes me think twice.. and i bet next years will be a world cup finalist who wins both prizes ..
     

    Fred

    Senior Member
    Oct 2, 2003
    41,113
    #14
    Indeed not, but he deserved it.
    Although I would have expected Iniesta and Xavi to be closer to him and I don't see what Kaka does in this list.
    Completely agree. Kaka definitely does not deserve to be in that list, and certainly doesn't deserve to be above Iniesta in the rankings.



    I hated snobby CR during the ceremony when he was announced best goal and he didn't bother greeting Mrs Puskas to receive the award. She did.

    Queen Rania of Jordan was also awarded the presedential FIFA award
    .
    She's just :lick:
     

    Delle Alpi

    Chemical Dean
    May 26, 2009
    8,679
    #15
    awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww messi messi messi. I will quit cheering for juventus after 18 years and join the international:andyandbarcelona: barca fan organization

    P.S On a serious note, Xavi is the best player in the world
     

    Fred

    Senior Member
    Oct 2, 2003
    41,113
    #16
    Messi has been too consistent, too amazing and his football was just out of this world this past year. I think there is no doubt at all that he is the best in the world.
     

    Dostoevsky

    Tzu
    Administrator
    May 27, 2007
    88,428
    #17
    awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww messi messi messi. I will quit cheering for juventus after 18 years and join the international:andyandbarcelona: barca fan organization

    P.S On a serious note, Xavi is the best player in the world
    It's seriously not funny when you do that. Who cares if someone likes Barcelona or not, how can you talk like that when we play like headless chickens week after week, is what I don't get.

    That sign of hatred is just a reason of jealousy I guess.

    If you're denying Messi's talent then sorry but there must be something wrong with you.
     

    Fred

    Senior Member
    Oct 2, 2003
    41,113
    #18
    It's seriously not funny when you do that. Who cares if someone likes Barcelona or not, how can you talk like that when we play like headless chickens week after week, is what I don't get.

    That sign of hatred is just a reason of jealousy I guess.

    If you're denying Messi's talent then sorry but there must be something wrong with you.
    Exactly.
     

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